MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2020) Plague was detected in ground squirrels in the Russian southeastern Republic of Tuva last month, the country's consumer rights and human welfare watchdog said on Tuesday, adding that the entire population engaged in livestock breeding in the area was subject to vaccination.
"There is an epizootic activity of Tuva mountain natural plague foci recorded almost every year since 1964. In July 2020, local epizootics in the habitat of long-tailed ground squirrels were registered on the territory of Mongun-Tayginskiy and Ovyursky [districts] of the Republic of Tuva. An active epizootic process was registered at one of the sites," Rospotrebnadzor said.
The watchdog added that as many as 4,810 people had been vaccinated in the republic's affected areas.
"Field deratization has been carried out on 3.9 hectares [9.6 acres] of land. Medical institutions' epidemic readiness has been checked and training sessions to identify patients with plague have been carried out. Health education is also underway," Rospotrebnadzor noted.
In early July, the republic's Agriculture Ministry called on the residents to observe preventive measures in connection with the bubonic plague outbreak in Mongolia. Since 2016, Russia has registered no cases of plague in humans.
